imaginary music blog

In the interest of full disclosure we’ll start this post by pointing out that while this is the first real new update in nearly 8 months, it is technically still 2009 (well, not technically – it *is* still 2009) and so we are still operating under the strictures of the New Year’s Resolution to post all the old music that has been polluting our iTunes library for the past half-decade. Lucky you and Happy New Year in 2009!

With that in mind we are proud/obliged to bring you the debut/sole existing output from Film In America. As a special “bonus”, we are additionally proud to present it uncut, unedited, and complete from start to finish. Actually there was no question about how it would be presented, what else were we going to do with it? So yeah, it’s all here.

Film In America is yet another “rock” band in the “rockist” tradition of “rock music”. Or something like it. Existing for a scant two days, the band’s less-than-spectacular career is represented in its entirety by this E.P. Give it a listen and decide for yourself, and notice that all but one of these “songs” is under the three minute mark – a good sign in most cases.

Film In America – The Saddest Girl In School | 1:07Los Angeles CA, 2007
There are several conflicting stories related to the brevity of this track. The most reliable witnesses point to the fact that the original guitarist Jefferson Prantz was a complete asshole who refused to work in a room oriented on the north/south axis due to some kind of “energy drain” and abandoned the session (and ultimately the band) based on this and other “negative wave field attacks” he discovered surrounding the studio’s drum kit. He appears on this track only and is currently living in a hotel room ouside Joshua Tree with his dog Petey.

Film In America – Portion Control | 2:55Los Angeles CA 2007
The following session found the band with a new lead guitarist, Mark “Mondo” Monroe, who the band discovered playing in an 80’s cover band at Pepper’s in the City of Industry the night before this song was recorded. He proved to be both a blessing and a curse, as he could be heard constantly rehearsing the solo to “Dr. Feelgood” between takes. Ultimately (actually 20 minutes after his final take) the band’s drummer Ira Mountain offered to drive Mark to the nearest 7-11, which was supposedly 15 miles away. Oddly enough, Mark never made it back to the studio, but the track was deemed “done enough” for inclusion here.

Film In America – Points Deleter | 4:37Los Angeles CA 2007
Fed up with the seeming lack of guitar talent in the immediate vicinity of the studio, the band decided to move in a more “keyboardly” direction with its next session (held later that same afternoon). This track stands as a testament to the evolution a two-day old band can experience during the course of a single recording session, especially when you let the bassist start writing the songs.

Film In America – On the Fix (Mono Version) | 1:50Los Angeles CA, 2007
The final output from a band born to lose, this track was recorded in new lead singer David Goldberg’s “music room” (actually, a broom closet with a tape deck in it). It captures the band’s first – and thankfully last – brush with vocals. Following the tracking of this song every member of the band took a vow to never play music again, a promise that they have kept as far as the other band members are aware. Regardless, we are honored (obligated) to provide this E.P. as a document of their instant rise to mediocrity. Please enjoy responsibly.

A couple of new tracks tonight from the (pointless) imaginary compilation, “The Good Life Most Will Never Find”. The title itself is an homage to/ripped off from Deth P. Sun, an artist whose work we feel has had some impact on this compilation, but he’ll most likely never see this so who cares. Anyway, on with the hits!

Keeping the easy-listening hits going with a couple of cuts by I Am Eagle! Taken together, these two tracks bookend the four-year-long career of this particular band (whose entire recorded output actually contains only one additional song). Featuring drumming by “Robot Steve”.

A somewhat new band with a thankfully brief history, Sarisataka focus on shorter, more electronic-oriented drones produced predominantly on the critically despised Roland MC-303. This particular recording features real live crickets for added “fun”!

Another sonic collage in the spirit of the first post. Consisting of processed acoustic/electric guitar and melodica, this mid-length piece from WDRtE explores the lack of focus and where that gets you eventually; evolving reality; and communication between sentient rocks. Cough! *_*

Recorded at The Good Life in 2006 by Long Beach unknowns High In the Cemetery, these two tracks from the unreleased and previously unheard (ahem) “debut single” are less likely to induce any unwelcome fits of post-psychedelic trauma or spontaneous napping.

High In the Cemetery – Ghost Factory | 4:49From the unreleased “One for Gene” E.P. Long Beach CA, 2006

According to the track notes this one has something to do with some kind of “metaphorical universal wheel.” We’re not entirely sure what HITC had in mind with that exactly but it sure sounds like guitar music to us. No keyboards, no vocals, no problem.

High In the Cemetery – You Are Apollo 13 | 4:18
From the unreleased “One for Gene” E.P.
Long Beach CA, 2006